The best laid plans of mice and men…

Entries Tagged as 'Text Message (TXT) aka SMS'

I’ve read several “technology” articles on iMessage proclaiming it’s something new and special…

Last time I checked, Google Voice provided free SMS services that you could send messages to other users of Google Voice or any cell phone user for free… iMessage seems to be a rather poor entry into the market, and is better compared to existing instant messaging (IM) services (like AIM, Yahoo IM, Live IM, GTalk, etc) than a text (SMS) messaging service.

I fee too many of the “technology” reviewers have simply drank the Apple Kool-Aid and fair to provide the public at large with reasonable accurate information that’s unbiased.

Oh what – I’m talking about the media; what was I thinking — of course the information is biased, that seems to be the only type of information the media is capable of providing. If you thought the government was run by big business and Wall Street, that’s nothing compared to the news media.

While Google Talk numbers have been limited in the past, you should be able to request an invitation and sign up for the service — and if you have a browser, you can use it (if you have Android — there’s an App for that).

You know those annoying SPAM text messages you get from the five digit telephone numbers?

Those are called premium text message services, and it actually may be illegal from them to send a text message to your phone unless you subscribe to them (text messages may cost cellular subscribers money for each message sent or received).

Anyway, if you want to litigate to get your $0.50 back you can contact your cellular carrier and get the name of the company that has registered the number, though they’ll probably only have an 800 number for them (remember, calling an 800 number exposes your telephone number — you cannot block it); but while you’re on the phone with the cellular company you might want to request that they block all premium text messages sent to your phone.

There was a time when SPAM email almost crippled the Internet, and TEXT message may go the same way so I’d recommend you take action sooner rather than later to prevent marketers from forcing you to spend your money so that they have cost effective ways to reach you.

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VeriSign owns mCube which is one of the larger premium text message service providers, so many companies use them to actually send their messages (both VeriSign and the company contracting there services may be liable; feel free to call up VeriSign and have a talk with their legal department)